The Crown is one of life's mysteries. For decades it's been a solid, dependable little pub, set in a prime location at the junction of the seven roads that meet at Seven Dials. Reliably knocking out decent ale and friendly...

Punny name aside, if you like your bars 'alternative' rather than 'stylish' then the Crobar is probably the best place to drink in Soho. The bottled beer and cocktail choice is pretty good, but the selection of bourbon is...

If you go to Charing Cross mainline station you're spoilt for choice these days with not one but two pubs. We say 'spoilt', but we're lying. Obviously, being honest, concourse pubs are never destinations to seek out. The one...

The Nag's head is a big old pub with a grand Victorian pub interior - some preserved some faked; take a quick look at the lovely old ceramic friezes which adorn the walls to see what we mean. You'll find a fair range of...

As a drinker favoured by those who favour booze before using public transport, the Boadicea serves a purpose. It's a small, sweaty place that offers London Pride amid the usual fray of lager and alcopops. The jukebox provides...

Looking for an even more alternative slice of Soho? One which doesn't involve standing in the road outside a packed pub surrounded by media types, uncomfortably holding your pint? Well, look no further than Garlic & Shots....

With a preponderance of standy-uppy stripped pine bars and corporate pseudo olde-worlde places nearby, Retro Bar stands out by being just a little bit different. Tucked down a little alleyway, it's certainly more Camden than...

Nothing out of the ordinary here - it's the usual, somewhat pricey, ABO experience. Although it does get pretty crowded in the evening, especially towards the weekend, and noise levels rise correspondingly.

This pub hasn't changed in years - it's obviously doing what it's supposed to. No prizes for guessing the theme of this pub - sacre bleu! c'est Canada! You don't have to drink Molson, watch the ice hockey or wear a plaid shirt,...

Just down the road from the XXX end of Soho, this one sticks rigidly to Sam Smith's four key rules of Pub Management: traditional interior, cheap booze, Sam's branded drinks and a ban on music. It's also possibly the brownest...

This pub rather offers an oasis of calm near the relentless bustle of the Charing Cross Road, thanks to being ignored by the hordes passing the end of the short alleyway in which it hides. With debatable external charm, inside...

This is a fairly unremarkable addition to the P&P chain. There is little of interest that happens here. However, where this pub really excels is as a consistent alehouse in an inconsistent area (Soho). It is also an...

Apart from the odd lick of paint here and there, this pub has not changed much over the years. No bad thing in this area, where you only have to turn round for ten seconds and yet another style bar has opened up to cater for...

After a few more name and identity changes, this old pub is finally back to its original (1683, apparently) name. Nothing to do with corporate board members, the name refers to the guys who used to carry somewhat richer people...

Should you need a meeting up point close to Covent Garden tube, then this pub's as good as any other. It offers a good selection of real ales and also traditional pub grub at decent prices. Just like the other Nicholson's...

The Lyric (or 'The Lyric - Soho', as it's name helpfully informs the geographically bereft) was one of more characterful pubs in the area before it closed in 2006. Happily, however, it's recently re-opened and is - for want of...

The Crown and Anchor corner edifice juts out like prow of a ship into the waves of people flooding Covent Garden. The busy ground floor area is an unexceptional but decent enough space, with lots of standing room. Drinks-wise,...

Crown & Two Chairmen is a pub we haven't visited for ages as our last experience left us a bit cold. That said, it now feels like there's new management in and they're doing a sterling job with an excellent selection of...

What could've been an interesting multilevelled space underneath Charing Cross station has been sadly rendered like a claustrophobic All Bar One, which just gets worse the busier it becomes. Despite this, it's as popular as...

If you're familiar with the Slug and Lettuce chain then there are no big surprises for you here, although you may find yourself paying even more for your booze than you normally do in this Soho one. If you're not familiar with...

With so many pubs in Soho even the ardent drinker can find it hard to distinguish between them, but nevertheless Nellie Dean stands as one of the better places to drink. First off, it doesn't feel as corporatised or chainy as...